NALA Certified Paralegal Practice Exam

In the legal context, litigation refers specifically to the process of taking legal action in court. This encompasses a series of steps that include the filing of a complaint, the exchange of legal documents, court hearings, and potentially a trial. Litigation is essentially the formal resolution of disputes through the judicial system, and it involves a range of procedures governed by rules of civil procedure or criminal procedure, depending on the nature of the case.

The act of filing a claim, while a part of the litigation process, is just the initial step and does not encompass the entirety of what litigation entails. Negotiating a settlement is also a component that may occur during litigation but can also occur independently of court proceedings. The development of legal statutes does not relate directly to litigation, but rather to the legislative process involved in creating laws. Therefore, identifying litigation as the overall legal action taken in court accurately captures the comprehensive nature of the term.